Snow Day
by Random.Is.Best
Summary: A blizzard has struck London, and all Will wants to do is go outside in it with Jem. What could be better than a snow day with your best friend? Pre Clockwork Angel. No spoilers. Comments greatly appreciated! :)


Will sat by the window and stared out at the uncharacteristic blizzard, his heart aching as he remembered taking Cecily out to play in the snow years ago. It never snowed in London like it did in Wales. It was one of the many things he missed from home, so when he saw the first layer stick, his heart was torn between the pain of missing home and the thrill of seeing the snow again. When it turned into a blizzard, all he could do was stare at the whirling whiteness. He looked up when Jem joined him at the window, a flickering candle in hand. "Did it ever snow in Shanghai?"

"Sometimes, but nothing like this. I didn't know it snowed here."

"It doesn't usually." Will paused, a smile toying on his lips as he turned to look over at Jem for the first time since he arrived at the window. "Go get dressed. Layer up."

Jem considered for a moment, and Will hoped desperately that he wasn't going to deem it too cold and say no. Just when he was coming to terms with the fact that he wasn't going to go out, Jem smiled and nodded once. "I'll be right back. You should layer up as well. I don't want you catching a cold either."

As soon as Jem disappeared from the room, Will let out a quiet triumphant exclamation and rushed off to throw an extra coat on. He knew he could have charged out there in a single shirt and pants alone, but since Jem had asked him to dress warmer, he knew he had to. They met up in the front hall minutes later, and Will nodded when he saw how warmly his Jem had dressed. "Perfect." He pushed the door of the Institute open, looking down when snow that had been building up against the door spilled into the entryway. He glanced around to see if Charlotte or any of the servants were around to yell at him, and when he saw that they were completely alone, he just kicked some of it back out and strode forward. "Well, come on then, James." Without having to look backwards, he knew that Jem was right behind him.

He led the way to a small pond and stopped in front of it, crossing his arms as he assessed it. This pond held many good memories for them over the three years they had known each other. This was where they had tried to make cannibals of the ducks, where they had splashed around and frightened Charlotte when Will had pretended to drown—Jem hadn't cared for that one much either—where they had laid on their backs with their feet in the water, gazing at the clouds and making shapes of them as the sun beat warmly on their faces. Now, the pond was covered with a thick layer of ice, and Will stepped out onto it slowly, testing to make sure that it was just as thick in the middle as it was at the edges. Once he deemed it safe, he turned to Jem and motioned him over. "It's safe! Come here!"

Dutifully as ever, Jem crossed over to him, slipping and sliding as he did so. When he reached the younger boy, Will seized his hands and spun him around, making his feet nearly slide out from under him. They both laughed and Will released him once he was straight again. The disconnect still jarred him on the slick surface, and he would have fallen if Will hadn't seized him around the waist and pulled him close, laughing softly as he brushed the silver hair out of his eyes.

"I guess it doesn't snow much there. You're helpless on the ice, James."

"Yes, I suppose I am, aren't I?" The two locked eyes, and Will could tell that Jem wasn't ashamed of being so clumsy on the ice and that he hadn't taken offense to being called out on it. Instead, his silver eyes were sparkling in a way that they often did when Will told him stories. Will loved when he looked at him like that. When he did, he looked so full of life, curiosity, everything that the _yin fen_ took away from him. He pushed the thought from his mind. He didn't want to think of that awful drug that had ruined his parabatai's life when they were both so happy.

He grabbed him by the hands again and spun around with him, both of them laughing as they skidded around and finally lost grips on each other's frozen hands. Will toppled backwards and slid along the ice, and Jem plummeted into a snow drift, disappearing into the blinding white snow. Will scrambled over to the bank, looking around frantically for his best friend and brother. "Jem?! James! Where are you!" He couldn't see him anywhere. He cursed the drug for turning him pale and silver instead of something that stood out against snow. Why couldn't it have turned his hair purple instead? Sure, he would have looked funny, but it would have been easier to find him in a pile of snow. "Jem!" His heart pounded as his impossibly blue eyes scanned the area. How could things have turned so quickly? Only moments before, they had been laughing. It had been fun. Lighthearted. And now he was searching for his Jem before he froze to death. Jem was so slight, Will knew that it wouldn't take long for him to turn to a fragile block of ice.

He pulled up short when a snowball plowed into the side of his head, dusting his dark hair white. Rage instantly filled his body. If it had been that Gabriel Lightwood, Will couldn't promise that he would make it out alive. He had broken his arm once before, there was no stopping him from killing him for interrupting what was so obviously a search and rescue mission. He whirled around, ready to begin shouting, but his anger fizzled out as instantly as it had risen up when he saw Jem holding another snowball close to his chest, biting his lip to keep from laughing. His cheeks were pink and his hair was just as snowy as Will's. Will couldn't help but laugh and scoop up a handful of snow to launch at Jem. The two practically flew as they dashed here and there, dodging and launching snowballs and tracking each other down by the sound of their laughter.

In no time, their teeth were chattering and they were drenched from the wet snow. Both were flushed and shivering, but both couldn't stop smiling. Once a truce had been called, they met at the edge of the pond, and Will laced his arm through Jem's.

"You're probably freezing. Let's get you something warm. Tea and scones if we can talk Agatha into it."

"You just want to leave because you're freezing."

"What? Never. I'm a sturdy Welshman."

Jem laughed, and Will instantly thought it sounded more like music than anything else. He smiled as Jem laughed and pulled him closer. They walked back to the Institute shoulder to shoulder, and once they got there, stripped out of their wet clothes and opted for warmer clothes and blankets as they sipped tea that warmed their insides and lay in front of the drawing room fireplace. Agatha had told them that they couldn't have scones since it was so close to dinner, but Will had snuck a few biscuits in his pocket as they were headed out of the kitchen. He handed one to Jem, who munched on it silently, gazing into the fire, the flames reflecting off of his light eyes.

"Did you have fun?" Will asked, glancing over at him and smiling as Jem was pulled out of his daydream.

"Yes. That was so much fun. We should do it again tomorrow."

Will grinned and collapsed down completely on the floor, closing his eyes as he allowed the heat of the fire to consume him and warm him to the bone. If Jem wanted to go again tomorrow, he would go again. And the day after that if he wanted to again. He'd do anything Jem asked, no matter what. That was what parabatais did. That was what best friends did. That was what brothers did. Jem was every single one of those.


End file.
